Tips for choosing a Day Care for toddlers

Daycare! Every parents nightmare. Even if you are a stay at home mom, you will find yourself face to face with this situation when you are sending your kid to school for the first time. I had been looking for a good day care from the time I becamel pregnant. I am not kidding. I work far from home and 8 days in a month, i will have to leave my kid at day care for good 11-12 hours (other days its 8-9 hours). No one takes in kids for that long time. So my search began from the time of conception. After looking long and hard and after ruling out many nannies I found my dream day care for my baby. She will be 13 months when she goes there for the first time. Here is the questionere which I developed with the help of so many sources. My lady fulfilled ALL the requirements. I couldnt have been happier. Hope this will be of some help to some mom when deciding on a day care.

Edit/Add:
Below questionere is after we have short listed the daycare. What helped me short list were the below factors
1. Day care is licensed.
2. Location is close to home
3. Price is right; its not at the lower end and it isn't in the higher end.
4. A quick google search to see if there are any bad reviews.

First and foremost though, trust your motherly instincts even if she doesnt fulfill all the requirements. She has to be kind, soft spoken and in general have an approachable personality.

Experience:<!--?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /-->

1. How many years of experience you have (I need at least 3)?

1. How many children max will you be enrolling (I need a max of 1:4)?

1. Are you safety and first aid trained? Are you CPR trained?

1. Is the home child proofed?

1. Was there a circumstance where any child was previously injured in your care?

1. Are pickup and drop of times flexible?

1. Do you have your holiday schedule?

1. Are there any smokers inside the home?

1. Can you provide police clearance certificates for you and all the members living in your home?

1. How safe is the home; I mean, can a stranger ever walk freely inside?

Sick Policy:

1. What is your sick policy?

1. Do you take children for the day if they have flu/ fever?

1. What happens if your child is sick, if you have one?

1. Do you keep sick children separately?

1. Will you call us right away if my child falls sick suddenly?

Meal Policy:

1. Will you be providing food?

1. If yes, will you be giving us a meal plan at least 2 weeks in advance?

1. What are the timings of feeding?

1. What will you do in case of an allergic reaction?

1. Is there a fridge space where you can store my babies food?
2. What supplies do I need to send along with my baby (diapers etc)?

Activities:

1. What are the usual activities on a day to day basis?

1. Would you take my LO to the park on a good day?

1. Are there age appropriate toys around the home?

1. Are the activities mentally stimulating enough?

1. Is there an agenda of a kind which you will give us?

1. How often do you clean the home and toys?

Nap Times:

1. What are the nap times?

1. Where will they sleep?

1. My baby needs to be rocked to sleep; am trying to train her otherwise. Will that be fine?

1. Will my child be ever left un-attended?

Discipline methods:

1. How do you discipline children?

1. What are the methods used?

1. How do you comfort new kids?

1. Will you be toilet training my 1 year old, though I would be trying to do the same at home? If yes, how do you do it, so that I can follow the same at home to make it easier?

Notice Period:

1. How much notice do we need to give you if we no longer need your service?

1. How much notice would you give us?

1. Can you provide reference?

1. Will you need bi-monthly or monthly payments?

1. What is the penalty for late pick up?

1. Can I observe/ visit my child when ever I like? Can I see her remotely?

Overall Philosophy:

1. What is your overall philosophy? Are you more focused on nurturing the child with love and play or are academics included too in your day to day activities?

1. Do you receive visitors when my child is in your care?

1. Do you have a fire extinguisher on hand?

1. Do you have any emergency plan, like handling and safely moving the children out in an unlikely event of fire, power failure, earth quake etc?

Expectations from Parent:

1. What do you expect from me, the parent?

1. How do you communicate with me as to what my LO did during the day, what she ate etc? Is there a log of some sort?

1. What is the release policy, i.e who can pick up and drop my child?

 

Ramya, the purpose of the thread is fulfilled even if one of the ladies can put this to use glad you will start your search soon. Day Cares usually fill up fast, don't delay. Good luck.

Shanvy, so glad to hear you can stay home and be there for kids. I can't dear. Firstly, it's going to be difficult financially. As it is I have taken 13 months off as mat-leave. Secondly, I think I would be happier if I continue work.
My sis also quit after her baby and she also says exact same thing, " couldn't have been happier". Good to know that it suited your requirements.

Nandhu, the list was prepared after we have short listed the day cares. I am not sure of other states but in our province, we have government websites where all the licensed day cares are listed. It also contains when the license is renewed and till when it's good. Since we took the list from there as a starting point of search, I didn't even mention in the questionere (there was no need to, for me). But I have now added the same in my original post, just incase some mom thinks I have missed it altogether. Good catch...added now for the sake of others. Thanks Nandhu.

On a completely different note, do you have a problem with me? I sense some thing odd in your responses to me. I could be completely wrong. Pardon me dear, if that it so. Did I do anything to offend you? I had to ask because I sensed it;I am sorry, I don't mean to offend you by asking.

Yes peartree, completely agree with you. We should et the right vibes when speaking to them. Else, we will never be at ease leaving our soul in their care and going to work.

Karanu, sorry to hear things didn't work with part time care. Here, anything over 3 hours, they charge full day price. Keep looking though, you need know a gem might be lurking around the corner.

Thanks Swaran 3)

Thanks VJ; police clearance certificate is different dear. We get that here to rule out or find out if the person in question has any record with police(it could be criminal, civil case etc).